Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has revealed the surprising reasoning behind the club's £63 million signing of Marc Cucurella in 2022. Speaking at an IConnections event, Boehly admitted he targeted the Spanish left-back specifically because Manchester City had shown interest first.

The American businessman, who had just completed the Boehly/Clearlake Capital takeover of Chelsea, temporarily served as sporting director that summer. With the club's management team departing, Boehly found himself making major transfer decisions despite having no prior football experience.

Boehly's strategy was simple: if Manchester City wanted a player, Chelsea should pursue them too. The approach worked as Chelsea secured Cucurella from Brighton after City had balked at the asking price. The Euro 2024 winner has since made over 140 appearances for Chelsea and remains under contract until June 2028.